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Rogers and Shaw sign deal to stream original Amazon video content to shomi

Rogers and Shaw have teamed up to launch shomi, a new streaming service. Photo: Screenshot

Patrick O'Rourke

Published: January 22, 2015 - 2:00 PM

Updated: January 25, 2015 - 11:11 AM

Rogers Communications Inc. and Shaw Communications Inc. announced on Thursday that the two companies have signed a deal to stream Amazon.com Inc.’s original TV content via their jointly-owned streaming platform, Shomi.

The deal includes shows like “Transparent,” which won two Golden Globe Awards last week, as well as other original series like “Betas,” “Alpha House, and “Mozart in the Jungle.” Amazon revealed earlier this week that the company plans to start developing feature-length movies.

The Amazon shows will be distributed in Canada through an agreement with Sony Pictures Television, Shomi said.

Shomi, launched late last year, competes directly with other streaming platforms like BCE Inc.’s CraveTV and the current king of online streaming, Netflix Inc. CraveTV is the only online video streaming platform available in Canada that can stream HBOs back catalog of content, after signing an agreement with the company behind the popular “Game of Thrones” franchise late last year.

Amazon Prime Instant video is Amazon’s $99 video streaming platform and currently isn’t available in Canada. The company’s yearly subscription fee also includes two-day shipping through the company’s online store.

The move to sign a deal with Shomi likely indicates that Amazon has no future plans to launch their instant video platform in Canada. Currently both CraveTV and shomi have similar content – although both platforms do have some exclusives – when compared to what is available Netflix, forcing both platforms to find new ways to differentiate the content available on their platforms from competitors.